Cancer Care Education and Support

When you trust us with your care, you won’t have to go it alone. We offer a variety of services to help you through your cancer treatment. You’ll find it’s easier to make important decisions about your care when you’re equipped with information and support.

Learn more about a cancer diagnosis and treatment

After a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural to have questions – lots of them. We encourage you to talk with us face-to-face. You also can visit our online health library’s cancer center for the facts on different types of cancers, diagnostic tests, treatments and more.

Support services

Lean on us for resources that enhance your health and well-being. These include complementary therapies, such as nutritional guidance, massage therapy and stress reduction education, and palliative care services that focus on your quality of life. From support groups to spiritual care, you’ll benefit from the experiences of others and from services focused on your healing and comfort.

Cancer survivorship

While each cancer patient’s journey is unique, most move through three phases: learning you have cancer, living with cancer and finally, living life after cancer. We are dedicated to helping cancer survivors live their lives to the fullest after treatment. Our survivorship coordinators will work closely with your healthcare team to develop a comprehensive, written care summary and personalized follow-up plan.

Survivorship care plans

After treatment ends, it’s important to develop a survivorship care plan with your doctor. Your care plan will summarize the cancer treatment you received and outline the medical guidance you’ll need as you transition to living beyond cancer.

Your nutritional needs change when you’re dealing with cancer. The right food choices help support your immune system and promote healing. Proper nutrition will also help you maintain your weight, increase your energy and improve your sleep patterns.

Support groups present information, provide comfort, teach coping skills and reduce anxiety. They’re a place for people to share common concerns and receive emotional support. Sharing your experiences can help you overcome the feelings of loneliness and helplessness that may come with a cancer diagnosis. You’re often better able to deal with this disease when supported by others who share the same experience.

Support groups are available for people who are currently undergoing cancer treatment or who have completed cancer treatment. Your family and friends can also find encouragement and strength through special support groups just for them.

Not all locations have support group offerings. For a full list of meetings, including dates and any costs, please use our Classes Calendar to search for a cancer support group class at a hospital near you. All our cancer support groups are free and confidential. And they’re open to anyone affected by cancer, no matter where their care was received.

The cancer treatment process can be confusing and overwhelming. Our specially trained patient navigators work closely with you to share information, interpret treatment plans and answer questions you and your family may have. They can also help connect you with other helpful resources.

As a health care organization, we’re devoted to providing spiritual care to those we serve. We believe this support encourages hope and fosters strength and healing. Our spiritual care team is happy to visit with you, offer prayers with you or on your behalf and provide other services as needed.

If you need an easy way to communicate with family across the state or across the country, CaringBridge provides a simple solution. This secure, online service easily allows friends and family to stay in touch and share support, wherever you are.

We recognize how difficult it can be to pay medical bills following an emergency*, surgery or other medical treatment. To make it as easy as possible for you to pay your medical bills, we offer a range of financial assistance options to help.

Uninsured and unable to qualify for government assistance such as Medicaid

Underinsured, meaning you do not have enough insurance to cover all your bills

Unable to pay for medically-necessary care based on your household financial situation

When determining patient eligibility, SCL Health does not take into account race, ethnicity, religion, creed, gender, age, social or immigration status or sexual orientation. Under our financial policy, we use the most current Federal Poverty Guidelines to determine financial eligibility.

*Individuals in need of emergency care will never be denied treatment or care if they do not have insurance or are unable to pay.

SCL Health is an equal opportunity employer. All recruiting, training, and employment decisions are made in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, handicap, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

Our facilities do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs, services or activities, or on the basis of sex (gender) in health programs and activities. Read the full notice: Lutheran Medical Center Notice of Nondiscrimination